Watch: Obliterated – Season 1 (Netflix)

My Rating: 3.5 out of 5

When “Obliterated” showed up in my Netflix recommended content, I was highly skeptical. The cover shot gave me Adam Sandler vibes: it looked so incredibly stupid, it’s something I didn’t want to watch. Now, it’s been a few weeks since I finished watching the show, and I still feel well-entertained when I look back. And yes, if you like Adam Sandler movies, you’re most likely to like this series, too. For me, as I really hate Adam Sandler movies, this was a huge hurdle I had to overcome. But after watching the trailer, I was like, yeah, let’s give it a try. And I wasn’t disappointed.

The first episode sets the frame for the plot, which is as generic as it could be – Russians bad, Americans good, a hidden bomb, and a limited amount of time to save millions of people. This could be straight from any 1980s action movie, but with a funny little twist: the squad is absolutely hungover. Unfortunately, the show can’t maintain that condition throughout, but that was to be expected. When comparing the 1980s to the 2020s in a sociocultural and geopolitical context, some parallels come to mind:

• The world is fucked.
• It’s a gun-rattling standoff between the USA and Russia.
• The world of mass media is expanding.
• New technologies, such as home computers, have entered people’s lives.
• Life seems more complicated and complex than ever, and people crave simple solutions (that don’t exist).
• The necessity of environmental protection measures is significant.
• Sexuality is breaking free – it’s the age of coming out and recognizing transsexuality.

But what does all this have to do with an entertaining TV show? A lot. These factors shaped the art, culture, and society of the 1980s and early 1990s. And it’s happening again. As mentioned above, the plot is not new. Also, the characters are nothing more than a bunch of stereotypical clichés. But there are some things that were changed to meet a contemporary audience:

• Diversity is real.
• The leader of the pack is female.
• Nerds can be naughty and badass too.
• Homosexuality (and LGBTQ+ in general) is normal.
• The super-soldiers are people like you and me, with strengths, weaknesses, and families.
• Pretty women can make good villains.

And as much as I appreciate these contemporary additions, there’s a downside to almost each one of them:

• Although the team is diverse, in the end, they are still just a bunch of stereotypes. Diversity feels like a must-have.
• The leader is always questioned or even attacked by men who seem to have a problem with a female boss. This reflects reality, yes, but I think filmmakers should rather show the way it should be, depicting a reality where men don’t behave like assholes and accept stepping back behind a woman.
• The Nerd is an Asian girl. Well, at least it’s a female. Of course, someone has to take that role, but a less stereotypical approach would be nice. Why not the black or white full-body muscle?
• LGBTQ+ is normal. So why still make a fuss about it when one friend finds out about another? Even worse, when a man finds out about his best friend, there needs to be a talk. But it’s totally normal when a woman “accidentally” turns a bride on her bachelorette party.

Yet, I found the series highly entertaining. It has all the stuff I liked in the movies I grew up with in the 80s/90s. I know I might be way too critical for such a no-brainer entertaining show, but the subtext defines a frame. However, I really enjoyed watching it. If you don’t overthink it, it’s fun. The world’s not only black and white, right or wrong. There are a lot of assholes in the USA, and not only assholes in Russia. And so this series is neither good nor bad but very entertaining.

And yet, I found the series highly entertaining. It has all of the stuff I liked in the movies I grew up with in the 80s/90s. I know, I am maybe way too critical for such an no-brainer entertaining show, but the subtext defines a frame. However, I really enjoyed watching it. If you don‘t overthink it, it‘s fun. The World‘s not only black and white, right or wrong. There are a lot of assholes in the USA, and not only assholes in Russia. And so this series is neither good nor bad, but very entertaining.